Automatic drawer locking and closing device.



Patent@ Sept; .25, im?,

- 2 SHEETS-SHET l.

@MUM

W. A.. COLLINGS.

AUTOMATIC DRAWER LOCKING AND CLOSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1915.

LQQL. Pamed Sept. 25, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

ILLIAZM A. COLLINGS,

0F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

AUTOMATIC DRAWER LOCKING AND CLOSING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 25, 1191"?.

Application filed May 24, 1915. Serial No. 30,002.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. COLLINGS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Kansas City, in the county of Jackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Drawer Locking and Closing Devices; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the numerals of reference marked thereon, which forma part of this specification.

In the past serious inconvenience has frequently been occasioned when drawers have become lodged in dressers, filing .cabinets and the like, and considerable lossof time and annoyance to the user has resulted therefrom. It is an object of this invention to provide a device adapted to lock a drawer in open position, and when released to close the same without danger of blocking the drawer against the sides of the cabinet, of which the drawer forms a part.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a mechanism adapted to hold a drawer 'in Vopen position and when released to automatically close the same.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a cheap, simple and durable drawer lock and closing mechanism adapted to be readily attached to a cabinet and one which will not be likely to get out of order.

The invention (in a preferred form) is illustrated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a cabinet provided with drawers which are equipped with a device embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of F ig'. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the mechanism adapted to lock the drawer in open position.

Fig. 5 is a section taken on line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a cabinet equipped with a modified form of my invention.

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line 7-7 of Fig. 6.

As shown in the drawings:

A dresser 0r cabinet is indicated as a whole by the reference numeral 1, and as shown embraces side walls 2, a rear wall 3. front spacing boards 4, and a top wall 5. Said cabinet is provided with a plurality of drawers 6, adapted to slide upon drawer supporting members 7, secured upon the inner sides of the cabinet, as is usual, or in any preferred manner.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 5 inclusive, screw eyes 8, are secured to the rear wall 3, of the cabinet 1, at points slightly below the bottom of the drawers 6, and corresponding screw eyes 9, are secured in the bottoni board of said drawers 6, in alinement with the rst mentioned screw eyes 8, and coiled springs 10, are connected to said screw eyes 8 and 9, respectively, in such a manner that they will act normally to hold the drawer in closed position.

Brackets 1l, are rigidly secured to each of the cross-bars 4, of the cabinet, and a rod 12, is journaled therein in such a manner that the same will liev slightly above the drawer. Pawls 13, are rigidly secured on said rod and extend inwardly and into position to engage the rearwardly directed teeth on the rack bars ll, which Yare iirmlysecured on the upper edge of the side walls of each drawer by screws, as indicated, or in any other suitable manner. As shown in Figs. l, 2, and l, one of the pawls 13, on each rod l2, is provided with an actuating or adjusting lever 15, which is integral therewith and extends through a relatively small slot 16, near the end of the front crossbars 4. in position to be depressed by the finger of the operator to rotate the pawl rod 12, and release the pawls from the rack bar.

The modification illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, is substantially the saine as that described in connection with Figs 1 to 5 inclusive, the only difference being that counterweights are used to close the drawers instead of coiled springs. As shown in said figures, a pair of pulleys 17, for each drawer are secured to the rear wall 3, of the cabinet, and ropes, provided with counterweights 19, are secured to the back board of the drawers 2O and 21, and are trained over said pulleys 17, at the rear of said drawers, and hang between the rear of the drawers and the rear board 3, of the drawer. As shown, ropes 22, are `secured to the bottom drawer 23, and are trained around a pulley 17 and then eX- tend upwardly and around the pulleys 211, so that ample room may be had for movement of the counterweights 25, which are secured thereto.

The operation is as follows:

IVhen it is desired to open any one of the drawers the drawer knob or handles are engaged as usual and the drawer pulled outwardly against the resisting force exerted by the spring or counterweight, which is connected thereto. After the drawer has been opened to the desired extent the drawer handles are released and the drawer is locked in open position by means of the pawls 13, which engage the rearwardly directed teeth of the rack bars 14. To close the drawer the pawl release lever 15, is depressed; this releases the pawls from the rack bars and the drawer is closed by means of the force exerted thereon by the spring or counterweights, depending upon which is used.

It is believed to be obvious from the construction described that details of construction may be varied without departing from the principles of this invention. I therefore 'do not purpose limiting the patent granted otherwise than necessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

l. A device of the class described comprising a cabinet, a slidable drawer therein, a rack bar secured on each side of said drawer, a rotatable rod extending longitudinally of the cabinet above said drawer, pawls on said rod adapted to engage said rack bars, a lever on one of said pawls adapted to rotate said rod and thereby release the pawls from said rack bars, and means adapted to automatically close the drawers when said pawls are released.

2. In a device of the class described cornprising a cabinet, a drawer slidable therein, a rack bar on the upper edge of each side of the drawer, a rotatable rod on the inner face of the front of said cabinet above said drawer, a pawl secured to each end of the rod adapted to engage said rack bars, a lever secured to one of said pawls projecting -outwardly through a slot in said cabinet and adapted to rotate said rod and thereby release the pawls from said rack bars, and springs beneath the drawer connected to the drawer and to said cabinet to automatically close the drawer when said pawls are released.

3. In a device of the class described, the combination with a cabinet and a drawer, of a rack bar secured on the upper edge of each side of the drawer, a rod rotatably mounted in said cabinet above said drawer, pawls secured on said rod adapted to engage said rack bars to hold said drawer locked in open position, a lever integrally formed on one of said pawls projecting outwardly through the cabinet and adapted to actuate said rod and pawls to release the pawls from said rack bars, and means underneath the drawer adapted to automatically close the same with the release of said pawls.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM A. COLLINGS.

Vitnesses:

CHARLES W. HILLS, J r., LEON M. REIBSTEIN. 

